Providing Value to Your Community Through Content Creation

This post comes from guest writer Jennifer Snyder who has spent much of her professional life figuring out how content and the Internet play nicely together.

Over the years, content creation has taken on many forms for business. Blogging, newsletters, podcasting, social engagement, and print publications are all part of the equation. Truthfully, we’re often asked if creating content is still a worthwhile use of our time for brands.

In a word? Yes.

Now, we don’t see all content as worthy of making its way into the wild. It sounds harsh, we know. There’s simply too much information out there that falls under the category of noise, rather than substance. However, great content is crucial as you consider providing additional value to your readers, customers, or clients.

Here are a few helpful tips for reshaping the way you bring content into your business practices:

Understand Your Audience

People are busy. We commute, we work, we live our lives, we sleep (hopefully), and then we get up and do it all over again! Therefore, finding the appropriate type of content to produce is important.

Before launching a blog to produce five days a week, ask yourself whether or not your audience members really have time to sit and read through five blog posts. Some segments might, while others may prefer to consume information or entertainment in another format. Some audience segments may only have time while they commute or walk the dog. If that’s the case, podcasting could be a more appropriate vehicle for some of your content. Others may primarily interact with your social content. Don’t leave those folks hanging! Think through how you might provide value to people through your social channels—whether you’re sharing helpful information, connecting people to one another, or having a conversation.

Understanding how your audience wants to hear from you is the best first step for providing valuable content.

Photo: Death to the Stock Photo

Choose Carefully and Plan Accordingly

We’ve all heard the phrase “less is more” and, when it comes to great content, the same idea applies. Industry trends used to dictate that businesses create content every single day of the week. That is not necessarily the case anymore.

If you’re capable of creating content regularly that your audience simply cannot live without, good for you! You’re ahead of the curve. However, if one blog post, newsletter, or podcast episode is all you can handle right now, that’s completely acceptable.

The key to setting yourself up for success is to make sure you choose the right amount of content you can produce or have produced well, and endeavor to create the most valuable content possible for those you serve.

Share the Content People Want

This sounds so obvious, but answer us this: how often have you clicked through to read a newsletter or listen to a podcast only to find it held little to no value for you? It’s a bummer, right?

Now imagine people feeling that way about your content. Ouch.

Not to worry! The solution is fairly simple. If your audience wants to know more about what’s going on behind the scenes, give them a glimpse. There’s no need to overshare, but allowing your loyal clients, customers, or readers to peek behind the curtain goes a long way to building a level of trust. Perhaps you frequently receive requests to cover topics you don’t currently cover. Once you have a loyal audience base, you may find this happens quite often! If the requests fit into your brand or you can extend your brand to fulfill those requests, give the new topics a chance.

No matter what you decide, giving your audience a little more of what they ask for is never a bad idea, as long as it can be executed well.

Sharing great content with your readers, customers, or clients doesn’t have to be painful and it certainly doesn’t have to overwhelm you or your team. Your audience will appreciate the intention and time you’ve put into the content they love and will, likely, reward you appropriately—with their business!